Bilateral dysgenetic polycystic parotid Glands

Summary

Dysgenetic (bilateral) polycystic parotid glands present a rare pathological picture which has not yet been described in detail. In the Salivary Glands Register (Institute of Pathology, University of Hamburg) 360 non-tumourous cysts were registered (from a total of 5739 cases of disturbances of the salivary glands for the years 1965–1979). Among them there were 2 cases of polycystic parotid glands. The analysis of the observations in these cases led to the following conclusions concerning polycystic parotid glands:

• 1. The disease may be unilateral or bilateral. The cysts, which are not uniform in size, are bounded by duct epithelia exhibiting various sorts of differentiation (striated duct and intercalated duct epithelium, primitive epithelial buds) and containing secretion products, spheroliths and microliths. Regressive focal epithelial alterations with desquamation occur. The remains of the glandular parenchyma can be found among the cysts.

• 2. The cystic change is due to a developmental malformation of the duct system, in particular a disturbance of ramification and canalization. Evidence for this conclusion can be found in the spur-like septation of the cysts and the hourglasslike indentations.

• 3. Polycystic parotid glands can be compared with cystic malformations of the pancreas (cystic pancreas) or the lung (cystic lung).

• 4. This disease must be distinguished from congenital sialectasias of the parotid glands, from cysts of the salivary ducts and from lymphoepithelial cysts. The criteria for differential diagnosis are presented.